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A little about myself, what I believe and my choice to follow Christ as a celibate Christian. I purposely do not call myself a gay Christian even tho’ I am same sex attracted. Paul says that ‘if I am in Christ that the old me has passed away and that I have become a new creation in Christ’. I am definitely not ex-gay, just new and different.

Well, in the past I have found myself examining, reexamining and evaluating things in the light of scripture. I see the Leviticus/Deuteronomy verses which are often used to label homosexuality as an abomination, and to bash GLBT people over the head with, as part of the ritual laws which are not in effect today. As a matter of fact I see Jesus doing away with those ritual laws in His dealings with 'sinners’ in the Gospel accounts of His life. The touching of lepers, His defense of His disciples eating ‘corn’ on the Sabbath, healing on the Sabbath, also Peter’s vision of clean and unclean foods and Paul’s rebuke of Peter for trying to revert to Old Covenant legalism in Galatians 2. I find Jesus more concerned with religious people judging others and the attitudes of the disciple's hearts, and divorce than He was with the sins of Sodom which He certainly was aware of. Frankly His silence on that subject seems to be quite important to me in light of the amount of ranting much of the church does on the subject of homosexuality.

My reading, and I emphasize my reading of the New Testament, however, shows me that Christ followers are to abstain from all forms of sex-straight and gay alike-outside of the man/woman marriage (from the beginning) ideal, and that chastity/celibacy is the rule for non-married believers.

Since this is my understanding of the scriptures I live it for myself, only you can decide how to live out what you believe. I guess I have taken the Henri Nouwen approach to my sexuality and have chosen celibacy. Let me add that I have not regretted that decision--I have found great fulfillment and love in my chosen life of celibacy. I do not think that a person's sexual orientation is chosen nor do I believe that it is something which is changeable.

I have read some of the modern theology concerning re-interpretations of the texts in question including:

• Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay And Christian In America by Mel White
• Our Tribe: Queer Folks, God, Jesus & the Bible by Nancy Wilson
• New Testament and Homosexuality by Robin Scroggs
• Freedom, Glorious Freedom by John J. McNeill
• Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality by John Boswell
• What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality by Daniel A. Helminiak

These texts leave me with more questions than they answer and frankly I am not totally convinced that their results conform to long held and accepted biblical hermanuetics. I will not use eisegesical methods to prove my point.

That being said I find that the Church today has been very hateful and untruthful in its approach to my fellow GLBT brothers and sisters. FUD (fear, untruthfulness and deceit) have no place in the church and its approach to the GLBT community. I also know that FUD helps fill the coffers and helps others feel self-righteous and holier than thou which makes for filled pews and big church membership lists. The Christian church needs to be open and welcoming, to all who would come. Jesus said 'whosoever will may come' and who are we to say everyone but you or them or even me. Welcoming does not mean affirming.

Most of the last 10 years of my ministry has been to the forgotten and to the marginalized. I have lived my life as an example of what God can do in a life offered to Him. I have and will minister to all God sends my way with no pressure to live as I do or to force people to change into my image of what is good or godly.

I put no time limit on change. I simply lift up Jesus Christ and allow Him to do the drawing, the changing. The Holy Spirit is more than able to confront and convict others of their need to change, repent, or whatever you want to call it.

As I have said often, Jesus is able to deal with each one of His own and if the servant stands or falls it is up to the Master. Paul admonishes believers in Philippans 2:12-13 "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."

I work out my own salvation as God shows me how, I live my life as I see it shown to me through the scriptures. That means to take the Sermon on the Mount very seriously. That includes not judging others in their walk with our Lord, and it most importantly includes loving each and every person I meet as Jesus would love them--touching the 'unclean' (as some might call them), loving the outsider, the hurt, the castaways.

It also means to me that I am to seek justice-love put into action in the social realm-for those who have no voice. I support equal rights for everyone regardless of social status, economic state, marital status, gender identification, etc. I long to see a church which will lift its voice for justice and loving treatment of GLBT folks.

peace Jim